Airborne ATMs

By Mary Ann Mcnulty / October 13, 1996

<H1> Airborne ATMs</H1>For those who need cash at any altitude, Aero-Design Technology, Valencia, Calif., is offering an in-flight ATM. Swissair is the first airline signed up to test the machine, starting next March or April, followed by Cathay Pacific in July.

The ATM will accept major currency, ATM cards or credit cards and dispense local currency of the destination city, according to Ravi Patel, vice president and COO of ADT.

Charges will be similar to ATM costs on the ground, and currency exchange rates will be comparable to those in airports, Patel said. The intent is to encourage flyers to use the technology, he explained.

Unlike standard ATM machines, ADT's new in-flight option will weigh only 150 pounds, with all currency loaded.

Patel said the company is trying to work out a deal with airlines planning in-flight gambling that would allow travelers to use the ATM to secure a stored-value card that could be used in the gambling devices.